Have you heard
by Captain Ryder
Summary: Rumours abound in Camelot.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Rumours abound in Camelot.

Disclaimer: Merlin is not mine, nor will it ever be, which I'm sure you can be thankfull for.

Rated G

The stories spread like wildfire. Everyone in Camelot knew of how their Prince had risked his life to go and try and protect them from the Dragon. Everyone had heard how all his knights had been hewn down by the beast, but Arthur had valiantly fought on and killed the monster. How he and his servant where the only ones to came back from that fight.

But those stories weren't the one's that everyone was paying attention to. The one rumour that had everyone's attention and interest was that, according to eye witnesses, upon the Prince's triumphant re-entry into the city, the servant of the Lady Morgana had run up to him and thrown her arms around him. And he had hugged her back.

Oh how the people talked of this. They whispered and speculated whenever the Prince, or the servant girl, walked the streets.

What had happened that allowed a lowly servant to display, and receive, such affection from the crown Prince?

Why had they acted as they did?

And how would Uther react when he found out??

Review for more chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Uther stood at the window, looking out over Camelot. Even though he was king, what the townspeople where talking about still reached his ears. At first he had dismissed the talk as crazy rumours they made up because they were bored.

But then he had begun to think about it a bit more. He hadn't thought anything about it at the time, but when he had gone out to meet Arthur, he and that servant girl where walking very close. And he had noticed him glancing at her often, and smiling slightly.

Uther drummed his fingers on the stone ledge. He really didn't know how to handle this. His son couldn't possibly be in love with a servant. Could he? What was he supposed to do?

If he imprisoned the girl based on a rumour, the whole kingdom would be in an uproar. And what if they were true? Arthur would probably do something foolish, such as break the girl out. Then he would be forced to send soldiers after them, and then have the girl executed.

And if he did that, Arthur would never forgive him, and probably try and kill him. After all, he was going to before, when he had 'learned' of Igraines death. The kingdom would stand behind Arthur, they loved him a lot more than they did Uther.

Uther rested his head on his hand. Compared to matters of the heart, exterminating magic was a breeze.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for all the lovely reveiws, and do to popular demand, more chapter are on there way.

Once again, Merlin isn't mine, they could never get away with this on TV.

Enjoy

Chapter 3

Rumours are tricky things. It's almost as if they have a life of their own. They grow, they get more and more fantastic, and they spread. And when it's a rumour so large, so impossible to think of, it spreads all the faster.

Pretty soon, the rumour of Gwen and Arthur's hug had turned into this scene, Gwen running desperately through the streets of Camelot. When Arthur entered through the gates, and saw here through the smoke, he began to run to her. When they met, they threw themselves into the others arms, crying their eyes out, kissing and holding onto each other for dear life.

On the borders of the kingdom, at a tavern, the story was repeated by a weary traveller. The guy shouldn't have said anything. One of his listeners called him a liar, charged him and began a brawl that lasted until sunlight.

The instigator of the brawl was apprehended and put into the stocks. And in them, Lancelot had quite a lot of time to contemplate the horrible facts of the story as his tears mingled with tomato juice.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, thank you for the wonderfull reveiws, you people are great! Hope you enjoy.

Captain Ryder

Chapter 4

Uther and Arthur where doing their formal inspection of the guards of the tower. A group of Arthur's knights followed them, as well his man servant, Merlin. Uther was silent, and brooding. From what he heard, the brainless rumours had grown and spread. He wondered to himself how much of the story was true.

He also thought about how he could try and get to the truth of this situation. He couldn't ask directly ask Arthur, he would never admit anything. He briefly thought that maybe Merlin would tell him, but the servant was fiercely loyal to Arthur, and would never do anything to hurt him.

Uther was deep in this train of thought, when fate gave him the perfect gift. At the end of the courtyard, he saw the servant in question, and she was heading toward them. Nobody else had noticed this blessing of chance.

Moving slightly, he made his party walk in a more direct line to the girl. He had to keep himself from smile devilishly, his plan was fool proof. He would observe how Arthur and the servant reacted when they saw each other. If there was a secret love, he would notice.

"Closer, closer." Uther thought to himself, keeping an eye of both the girl and Arthur. Any moment now they would see each other. Soon, the truth would be known.

"Whoa!" a cry came from behind Uther. Instinctively he turned to the sound, and saw a dark shape come falling at him. Quickly, he took a step back and just barely missed Merlin knocking him to the ground.

"Watch where your going." Uther snapped as the boy stood up, looking embarrassed.

"Sorry sire, I tripped." He mumbled. Uther turned back to front, but the girl had already passed them by.

"Blast!" he thought angrily. He eyes Merlin, wondering if… No, the boy was far to stupid to do that.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks again for the reveiws. Don't own Merlin in any way.

Enjoy!

Chapter 5

The Lady Morgana stood in the middle of a ruined castle, hand outstretched, muttering spells, as she attempted to blow up a rock. It wasn't working. She stopped her futile attempts when she saw her half sister, Morgause enter the castle.

"And how was the town?" she asked the more experienced sorceress.

"A town." Morgause replied. "But there is a little story floating around about your old home." She added as an after thought. Morgana's spirits lifted at the mention of Camelot, though she tried to hid it. Ruins weren't really her style.

"Really? Was it about the tournament? Did Arthur win again?" she asked overly exited. Morgause rolled her eyes in disgust. How was she supposed to turn Morgana into the ultimate weapon against Camelot if she never got over the gossip?

"Yes, it is about the weakling prince," Morgana's eye twitched at hearing her 'brother' referred to as that. "Not about a tournament, but some _servant_ girl." She said servant as if it were a dirty word.

"Which one?" Morgana asked.

"Gwen.. something or other." Morgana's heart ached at the mention of her lost best friend.

"Well, what are they saying?"

"The people say that Arthur has defied his father, single handed attacked, and killed, a dragon that threatened this girl. Then that they ran off and are now married."

Morgause never did figure out why, but for the next several days, Morgana would randomly shout "Hallelujah!", punch her fists in the air and laugh uncontrollably.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for all the reveiws and the people who have read this weird story. Your all fantastic!

Captain Ryder

Chapter 6

To everyone around him, King Uther was the picture of a calm, perfectly in control, person. But inside, he was going completely mad.

All his very clever plots (many which required rubbing his hands together and chuckling evilly) had fallen through and had been for nothing. He still had not learned the truth about his son and the servant girl.

He had heard stories of how the common folk had taken a day of from their labours for the secret wedding of his son, but he dismissed them. It couldn't possibly be true, could it?

He was getting more and more worked up with this story every minute. He couldn't sleep at night, thinking of ways to get the truth. Every time Arthur left the castle, Uther had visions of the boys secret meetings with the girl.

Every time he passed the servant in the hall, he couldn't help the thought from coming into his head "Is this girl my daughter in law?"

For the next several weeks, there where rumours going around the castle about why exactly Uther had his hair combed over as if a chunk of it was missing.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Arthur, the Crown Prince of Camelot, was walking the streets of said city. It was a lovely day, the sky a bright blue and no clouds at all in the sky. But Arthur's mind was not on the day. He had noticed his father acting strangely recently.

He had spotted the king chuckling like a mad man on more than one occasion. Arthur hadn't missed the 'covert' glances his father gave him, and even more puzzling, Gwen.

And this was the precise reason that he was in disguise (a hooded cloak pulled low over his face) heading toward one of Camelot's best taverns. Maybe there had been sightings of a wizard and the people were too scared to bring it to royal attention. If you wanted to learn rumours, you went to this tavern.

Arthur stumbled over a loose stone, and the hood of the cloak sank lower, blocking his sight. He stumbled a few steps and knocked into someone. He stepped back, apologizing to the unknown person.

"That's alright, Arthur." He looked up and saw Gwen, trying to hid a smile.

"How'd you know it's me?" he asked, pouting slightly. Gwen raised an eyebrow.

"It really isn't that good a disguise." She pointed out. Arthur shrugged, a little put out. "What are you doing anyway?"

"I'm going down to the Red Herring to find out if there are any possible rumours about my fathers behaviour, I'm beginning to worry."

"I thought I was the only one to notice something …. Odd, about the king." Gwen confessed.

"Would you care to join me then?" Arthur asked, holding his arm out for her to take, which she did.

They reached the tavern, and Arthur pushed the door open and they both walked into the building. The inhabitants were all crowed into a corner, listening intently to a man who was talking.

"And then, pushing the traitor knight off him, the prince drew lance out of his own arm and threw it at the dragon. It sank deep into the beasts throat, and it crashed to the ground with a terrible crash that shook the earth. But, our valiant prince was not out of danger yet.

The terrible knight was still threatening his love, and he was wounded. But he had fire in his eyes as he picked up his broken blade and charged the coward."

Arthur leaned to speak in Gwen's ear. "He sounds like quite a man, doesn't he." Gwen smiled at him.

"Blood pouring out of his arm, the prince fought the knight with a broken sword, and the knight was uninjured and had a full sword." The storyteller continued, "But out prince knew that if he failed, his lady would be condemned to a life with the evil knight. He fought like the dragon of his namesake, and killed the knight. He then raced to the hideout of knight where his lady was imprisoned.

He swept her off her feet, kissing her, and she bound his wounds. They both then climbed onto his horse and rode off as the sun rose."

The man finished the tale to the cheers of the crowd. Arthur and Gwen clapped along as well, but both froze to the spot, eyes bugging out, when a person in the crowd cried out.

"Three cheers for our good Prince Arthur, and his love, Gwenivere!"

**THE END**


	8. Note

AN: I have a part 2 of the series up it anyone wants to check it out. This time, Uther has to deal with Merlin/Morgana rumours


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